Back Home (for now)

Nermal and I returned home yesterday, and it’s so good to be here, even if it is temporary. Today I await the results of all of this effort on the part of me and my realtor (and team) as offers are due today at 1pm, and we’ll review them at 4pm. In the meanwhile, I’ve started looking online for temporary housing for me and Nermal until Ted and I find a house. My hope is to find temporary housing close to Ted’s apartment (he can’t have pets there) so we can see each other more often. We were both a little giddy on the phone last night at the thought of being able to see each other every day.

We’re on #304 (give or take) snowstorm this winter. The snow DOES look pretty as it falls, but you know – you go outside and it turns brown quickly from the cars, shoes, and nature outside. Still, I’m sitting inside my home, watching it fall, and it does look peaceful. The cat is sound asleep on my spot on the couch, so she’s happy. When we got home last night, she walked over to her carrier, hissed at it, and walked off. Clearly we know how she feels about being moved about!

We have a new VP at work so today I have a “coffee” with him and 2 colleagues. He is rumored to be excited about the program I am creating, so that’s a good thing. It’s been a slow start for it to get momentum during Covid, but I’ve been starting to develop some nice relationships with people that I hope will become donors over time. I do love working for a medical center, especially one that has created one of the vaccinations about to come onto the scene. I had absolutely nothing to do with it, but I still feel a collective sense of pride when I fundraise for the lab. I am excited when friends tell me they had their babies at our hospital. And recently, I learned of someone’s life being saved from her cancer surgery. I can relate, as I am indebted to MSK for saving mom’s life. I can relate to them, and so, I feel like I am paying it forward. I’m also doing some pro bono volunteer work – including giving a presentation to teens on philanthropy. I look forward to a time when I can become a professional consultant (maybe in 15 years or so) and devote my time to helping small nonprofits in need.

It’s good to feel excited about my work. I don’t talk about it much these days because I have so much else going on, but if you’ve known me for a long time, you may have known that my work used to occupy most of my waking hours. And you may recall that I used to get bronchitis at least once or twice a year, namely from all of the stress! I refuse to let it occupy my time the same way anymore. I have other priorities as well, though it is still very important to me.

Ok, everyone, cross your fingers, toes, and various body parts (keep it clean) that I get some good offers on my condo!